Note on the following: All views expressed are my own unless explicitly stated otherwise.

I follow Ox on both Twitter and Facebook, and recently the guy has been talking about Liberty quite a bit. Honestly, I literally feel sick every time I see it, and I hope by the end of this post you understand why.

You see, quite honestly John Oxendine is a theocratic Statist of the worst sort. While this comes into play somewhat in his current position as Insurance Commissioner, it will be one of the greatest tragedies this state has ever experienced if he somehow lays claim to the Governor’s Mansion.

The remainder of this post will be dedicated to commentary on each of the Ox’s position’s, as found on his campaign website.
Under “Issues/Transportation”, we find the following:Oxendine on Georgia Gas Crisis (from Sept 2008)
Reading through this, the first thing that caught my eye was this quote:

What I saw was a serious crisis; it demands extraordinary attention from Georgia state government.

Isn’t this the exact same rationale used to defend TARP and the bailouts? Clearly, Mr. Oxendine sees crises as opportunities to further expand an already bloated government, exactly like Presidents Bush and Obama, and yet he thinks he should be the one to LEAD us as Governor?

The solution here is actually LESS government activity, specifically LESS regulation involving how much and what kinds of gas may be imported into the state, and where and how they may be sold. Yet Mr. Oxendine fails to see this, and instead insists on MORE government action.

Finally, this topic closes with this:

I offer Governor Perdue my support and ask him to take innovative action to unite all of us to help Georgia during this crisis.

Next, there is this:

I maintain my call for Governor Perdue to convene an Extraordinary Georgia Leadership Summit of all the statewide Constitutional officers, the bi-partisan leadership of the Georgia General Assembly, the leadership of the Georgia Association of County Commissioners, the leadership of the Georgia Municipal Association, and representatives from the Georgia business community – the Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Businesses.
Let’s meet for as long as it takes – at our personal expense – not the taxpayer’s expense – and focus on these issues in a non-partisan, united way.

Mr. Oxendine, we don’t need more politicians talking! We’ve had enough of that as it is! We need politicians who will REDUCE the amount of government intervention into the free market and allow the market to operate the way it should. We KNOW this is the solution. We don’t need to TALK about it, we need our next governor to DO it!

OK Mr. Oxendine. You want to be innovative? Let’s see you call for LESS government regulation along the general direction of the ideas I spoke of above. Because let’s face it, MORE government and MORE talk is not very innovative, and has resulted in the very situation you claim you want to ‘fix’.

Hartsfield-Jackson is the heart and soul of economic development in Georgia.

Only if our next Governor continues to insist on it being so. You see, Macon Regional Airport could be expanded to allow for greater cargo flights, allowing Hartsfield to focus more solely on passenger flights, which would improve the customer satisfaction with Hartsfield and allieve some of the traffic congestion on the south side of Atlanta by reducing the amount of tractor trailers coming onto and off of the Interstates at that point. Macon Regional is only about an hour and a half’s drive south of Atlanta, and Macon sits right on both I-75 and I-16, allowing for greater ease in getting goods throughout the State in a timely manner.

Next, Mr. Oxendine shows his support of State control of local decisions:

If I am elected Governor, I will make removing control of Hartsfield-Jackson from the City of Atlanta a top priority of the Oxendine Administration.

Hartsfield should be completely privatized, but apart from that happening, it belongs in the control of the local government on whose land it rests. The State should not interfere with these local decisions – and nor should the State discourage businesses from finding other suitable arrangements for providing airport services in the area, including other airports in the Atlanta area, Macon Regional Airport, or even McCollum field and others in Cobb County. In fact, if Dobbins Air Reserve base and the Lockheed-Martin plant currently located there are in fact shut down at some point, the airfield there would also provide suitable airport facilities for the north Atlanta region.

The question for Georgia is – will the state involve itself in a potential airport and establish control of the revenue for the entire region or will the state allow the City of Atlanta to develop a second airport?

Actually, the correct question is “Why is government providing a service that should be left to a private organization?”

Under “Issues/Family Values”, we find the following:

2nd Amendment:
This video is found on the site in lieu of a written statement:

The only thing I have to critique here is the reference to hunting in “God’s nature”. Clearly Mr. Oxendine believes in God, as I do. However, as Governor he will represent ALL Georgians, including those who do NOT believe in God. Would he make this comment to them?

He reminded us that the United States of America is a nation whose people own the government – not the other way around. This is what makes us so special among all the nations of the earth. Our government has no power except that granted it by the people. It is time to check and reverse the growth of government, which shows signs of having grown beyond the consent of the governed.

The problems I have with him, and the areas his theocratic beliefs become apparent, follow:

Ronald Reagan was motivated by a political philosophy which sees the greatness of America in people, families, churches, neighborhoods, communities – the institutions that foster and nourish values and respect for the rule of law under God.

So an atheist has no respect for the Rule of Law, Mr. Oxendine? Interesting, because I know several atheists personally who are among the most law-abiding and peaceful citizens I know. Yet you claim that without God, there can be no respect for the rule of Law. That statement actually sounds more similar to something I would expect to hear come out of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s mouth rather than a candidate for Governor of Georgia.

Our Founding Fathers separated church from state, but they did not separate God from state; they acknowledged God as the source of our rights. America was founded on the Judeo-Christian philosophy based in the Bible and the Torah. It is Judeo-Christian morality that keeps America free, defines our values and defines us as patriots. God is the foundation of America.

Actually, religious freedom and the Rule of Law are the foundation of America, Mr. Oxendine, and most any middle schooler can tell you that. Mayflower? Puritans? Founding of Rhode Island and Connecticut? Any of this ringing any bells? Apparently, you didn’t learn the lesson, or maybe you just forgot it. It happens, but a candidate for Governor of Georgia should have relearned it before opening his mouth and embarrassing himself.

Together, we can bring Georgia back to its Judeo-Christian roots and to the traditional values that made Georgia great.

And here I was thinking that Georgia’s citizens – ALL of them – are what made Georgia great. You see, Mr. Oxendine, I’m a Georgia native. I grew up in Cartersville, and I’ve lived in Atlanta, Warner Robins, Leesburg, and Albany. I’ve met a lot of people from all over this great state, and they really are the best thing about it. Yet there is not a single characterization of any of them that fits for ALL of them. Indeed, many Georgia natives I’ve known have either no faith at all or some faith different than Judeo-Christian ones, and these citizens were in some cases more neighborly to me than the Christians you seem to defend so much. Georgia’s Governor represents ALL of these people, and there are no set in stone ‘traditional values’ that apply to that entire group other than the desire for Freedom to pursue life as they see fit.

Here’s a blatant statement of theocracy from Mr. Oxendine that needs no further comment:

A John Oxendine administration will support doctrines of traditional Judeo-Christian values

Many of the problems that Georgia now faces originate from the fact that liberals on the secular left have made it more difficult for Georgians to practice those traditional religious and moral values that have made our state great.

ANY person who would use government to further their own religious beliefs needs to be opposed. Religious belief is up to the individual, and the individual should be able to practice their belief as they see fit with no government involvement so long as others are not being harmed.

My pledge is to always recognize that respect for religion and morality are vital to a strong, healthy, prosperous, and safe Georgia. My administration will be serious about finding solutions to our problems and bringing real change in our approach to government.

But clearly, you only respect the religious beliefs of Christians and maybe Jews.

As Governor, I will oppose abortion at any point of gestation.

While I personally agree with you there, Mr. Oxendine, I adopt the Libertarian position as to how the government should operate, and that is that the government should be completely neutral. You see, the science of exactly what constitutes human life and when a life is human is still inconclusive, and therefore people can have good-faith positions both that life begins at conception and that life begins at birth. Because of this, it should be up to the individual in question to make this very difficult decision.

Our support for life should be supplemented by an amendment to the Georgia Constitution proclaiming a “paramount right to life.”

Meaning you would oppose the use of the death penalty, correct? Since all human life has the ‘paramount right to life’, that NO decision can overrride?

We must… ensur[e] that tax dollars would never be allowed to fund abortions, abortion research, or any activities which would encourage abortion including those carried out by our school based clinics.

Again, I completely agree with you here. Government should not be involved in health care at ALL, including in the abortion decision.

Tax cuts are pro growth, pro economic development, pro business, and pro jobs and an Oxendine administration will work on additional tax cuts and will cut spending.

I agree with you here as well, but I must stress that tax cuts are sound fiscal policy only when spending is also cut by a corresponding amount.

As a parent, I understand that both the responsibility and authority for raising children rest primarily with biological or adoptive parents. My administration will work to ensure government continues to empower parents with the control and aid necessary for the positive upbringing of their children and minimize its interference with the exercise of parental authority, except in cases of demonstrable abuse or neglect.

Again, I agree with this. But the best way for government to ensure to empower parents is to quit making their decisions for them.

Public policy should protect the right and maximize the power of parents to choose the form of education they wish for their children, be it public schools, secular or religious, private schools, or home schooling.

So childless couples should continue to support those with children? How about we eliminate public schools from the equation and allow parents true freedom in educating their child as best they see fit and can pay for?

Public schools should avoid undermining parental authority or interfering with transmission of parental values to their children.

Eliminate public schools altogether and this is a non-issue.

Medical procedures should not be performed on minors without parental consent, except in cases of medical emergency or public health necessity.

Public health is not a valid function of government, Mr. Oxendine. Health is completely up to the individual, or the parents if the individual is a minor. Otherwise I agree with you here.

A John Oxendine administration will oppose efforts by the Federal Government to impose the Real ID Act on Georgia citizens.

Thank you for opposing this gross violation of privacy rights.

A John Oxendine administration will support marriage as the legal union of one man and one woman as husband and wife. Any attempt to join two men or two women in “marriage” constitutes a redefinition and falsification of the institution.

Government should not be involved in the relationships of adults in any way. ‘Marraige’ is a religious term and is up to the individuals in question and the religion of their choice – not government.

A John Oxendine administration will support religious liberty for all people regardless of their faith, but will not accept that minority religions are entitled to greater protection than members of the country’s majority Judeo-Christian faiths.

Meaning that members of the majority SHOULD be entitled to greater protection than the minority? Interesting indeed, Mr. Oxendine…

My administration will oppose any actions by the Federal or state legislature to curb our freedom of religion. We must also oppose the forced privatization of faith, which would strip all religious expression from the public square. A John Oxendine administration will protect the public display of all religious references and symbols, including those on public buildings, lands, and documents. Also, faith-based organizations providing social services to the community should have access to government funding on the same basis as secular non-profit groups, without being asked to give up the religious character of their programs or staff.

But religion is a private decision, Mr. Oxendine. People should be free to express it in any way that they please that does not violate the rights of others, but government should not get involved in that arena at all other than to protect the rights of ALL. Furthermore, because government has no legitimate purpose in spending on social programs, you are correct that faith based and secular organizations should receive equal funding. Both groups should receive ZERO government funding, which is equal!

Our Founders’ intention was clear–that Congress should not name an official national church or denomination. However, they did not intend a “wall of separation” between all expressions of faith in God and all aspects of public life.

Thomas Jefferson was a Founding Father, correct? Writer of the Declaration of Independence and one of the leaders in the debate over the Constitution, as well as being our third President? Because he actually used that very phrase, ‘wall of separation’ when he declined to appear with the Danbury Baptists because others could construe that he was endorsing their particular religion.

Citizens, churches, private organizations, and public officials have every right to proclaim their faith in public settings.

I completely agree with you there – no matter what the particular religion may be.

As Governor, my administration will support legislation such as Senate Bill 35 and House Bill 21 to strengthen our existing laws regarding English as our official language.

Individuals and businesses should be allowed to decide for themselves how they will conduct business, and if that means they wish to conduct business in another language, that is their right and government should not decree otherwise.

My message to Georgia taxpayers: help is on the way and change is coming.

Interesting, because President Barack Obama said exactly the same thing during his campaign, and we’ve seen over the past 3 months how well THAT is working out so far…

8 Responses

John Oxendine should run for Agriculture Commissioner, what with all the fertilizer spewing from his mouth 😉

Seriously, his positions are that of an intense statist, not that different from the Democrats. Wresting control of Hartsfield from Atlanta? It sets a dangerous precedent in the grand scheme of things.

Now, do I disagree with all of them? Nope. But a blind squirrel occasionally finds a nut too. It doesn’t make him an expert nut hunter.

I was just starting my comment and it just sent itself. Frustrating. Must have hit “enter,” which should insert a paragraph. I think I was saying that, as I look around today’s political landscape, and see the likes of Obama, Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Hillary, Janet N., and then look at the condition of the mainstream media, which I see as an extreme and persistent problem, I see lots of BIG targets, people who are truly dangerous to freedom and anti-American, actual enemies. The race to preserve freedom is running close and we need all the help we can get. So why expend energy and political capital criticizing our own, or politicians who are at least not enemies or even 50% OK, if we know they would join us against the really dangerous elements now ascendant? It seems republicans and conservatives love to attack each other, something liberals don’t do (so much). Second point: It seems references to God offend you. You say the politician has to represent all of us, and some of us are atheists, so there should be no reference to God? Surely atheists are a small minority, even today. Yet it seems you insist that our elected representatives represent only them? They must ignore the majority and the history of our country? Can’t they represent believers, too? Odd to find a libertarian (?) on the vastly overweight political correctness bandwagon. This country was founded by praying believers making frequent reference to God, working squarely in that product of religion called the “Judeo-Christian ethic.” Without that, there would be no USA. If you insist on remaking it without God, well, I don’t think it’s possible, and why take the awful chance? There have alays been references to God in public life in this country, and I, and the vast majority, would leave it the same. You and a minority want to change it, based on nothing but political correctness. Mention of God hurts feelings or something? That much? Well, the excisement of God from public life, a fundamental change in America, hurts and offends me. What is your basis for prevailing over me? This was my first visit to this blog, and to balance my comment I will say that the first thing I noticed was a comment by a pro-lifer about God “spewing out the lukewarm.” My main effort here is to try and get folks I see as basically on my side of the fence, in a critical contest for the future of the nation, to be more effective in that contest by “taking the edge off” where it is pretty clear that people we need to influence are going to be turned away by insistence on absolute purity of belief. I’m very anti-abortion, but and I blanched at that remark. Ineffective, hurtful to the cause. Just as I reacted to your criticism of Oxendine. And I still don’t know what to think of Oxendine.

I’m not the author of this post, though he and I talk almost daily about many of the issues you bring up.

First, Oxendine is not on OUR side. John Oxendine is JUST as dangerous to freedom and democracy as Hillary Clinton. Instead of being a socialist though, he’s a statist theocrat. While God is a key part of my life, and Jeff’s, the assaults on individual freedoms in Gods name is the issue. I hope that a potential governor of this state prays every night, because frankly I think he or she will need all the help they can get. But to base policy on such a thing? That is something I can’t get behind every.

As for a Libertarian on the “political correctness” bandwagon, you’re way off base. Political correctness has nothing to do with it. The Separation of Church and State is more like it. The Establishment clause is about no religion getting preferential treatment over another. While I am a Christian, and I think that Christian values will be required to save this nation, I vehemently disagree with the concept of the State legislating any kind of morality.

You seem to be advocating voting for the “lesser of two evils”, is that correct? If so, I assure you that the lesser of two evils is still a vote for evil, something that I will never do again. Doing so saddled us with George W. Bush for the past 8 years and Barak H Obama for the next 4 years. Instead, I urge you to put your efforts behind the candidate you feel would do the best for Georgia, be it John Oxendine or anyone else, and work towards making the one you feel will do the best job the one to actually get the job instead of telling people that they’re hurting some cause which we don’t consider ourselves part of.

Democrat, Republican, who cares. Both are responsible for the rape of the United States Constitution over the last 140 years or so. The only difference is the instrument of it’s destruction.

[…] had begun persecuting those with religious beliefs different from THEIRS. Hence my comment in the John Oxendine and Liberty, Part 1: Transportation and Georgia Values post that Mr. Oxendine probably needs to go back to middle school, because it seems that is roughly […]

[…] Part 1 of this ‘John Oxendine and Liberty’ post dealt with the ‘Transportation‘ and ‘Family Values‘ pages in the Issues section of JohnOxendine.com. This post deals with the ‘Business‘ page, from the heading ‘The Oxendine Goal’ through the heading ‘Agriculture, the King of Georgia Business’. […]